The Promises That Cannot Be Kept
by Dreamboat
Summary: Tenten decides to take on a long mission to far-off Suna with Shikamaru after realizing her place in Neji's eyes. But the Hyuuga finally realizes what he should not give up even if it leads nowhere.    ShikaxTenxNeji Please R&R!
1. Look At Me

A/N: Try the ¾ or even ½ view so the sentences aren't spread too thinly across the page. I find it easier to read things that way.

**The Promises That Cannot Be Kept  
><strong>

Chapter 1

"You have other reasons for agreeing to this."

Neji paused. He didn't understand why his once-so-familiar teammate was insistent on leaving the village on such short notice. Obviously, she wasn't doing it because of how appealing the mission was. There was nothing appealing about five months in the Western Deserts of the Suna in the sweltering heat with nothing but sand for miles and not to mention the nature of the mission itself –infiltration and reconnaissance with the use of her _kunoichi_ skills. Neji knew that Tenten had specifically made cautious decisions to make sure that no one dared classify her as a 'weak' shinobi that hid behind her teammates or worse yet, relied on her feminine wiles to complete missions. With her back to him, he couldn't tell her expression but he knew he was right when she froze at his accusatory tone. Ever since their genin days, Tenten has never once succeeded in lying to the Hyuuga, and he made sure she knew it. She turned slightly, and met Neji's questioning white eyes, but remained silent.

The deathly silence in the apartment was stifling. This was unlike the wordless camaraderie Neji was used to on the battlefield, or the soothing tranquillity of an afternoon spent resting under their favourite (long-suffering) oak tree after training. Tenten always spoke with ease, especially when she's with her teammates. The quiet unnerved him.

"What are you trying to say, Neji?" Tenten said, finally.

Tenten refused to turn around. She fixed her eyes on the window, where the full moon hung low in the night sky. The stars in the sky were flickering feebly, as if threatening to be swallowed whole by the bright moon. Tenten felt a strange sadness.

"Tenten. Why are you taking a mission that will take you as far away as possible from Konoha?"

Tenten laughed. Neji has never heard her cheerful laughter sound so hollow and flat. "I've gone further than _Suna_, Neji."

"Not without us."

Neji heard Tenten take in a deep breath. She walked to the window, unwilling to look at her teammate in the eye. Her lonesome figure basked in the moonlight was eerie and ghost-like. Neji noted curiously that Tenten had been walking circles in this small apartment, almost as if she was trying to keep as far away as possible from him.

"After graduating, there was never a guarantee that we will stay in our three man unit anyway. Why does this one mission matter to you?" Tenten said, testily.

Neji was treading on unfamiliar grounds. Since when has his teammate been so hostile and difficult?

"Shikamaru said you requested this to be a trial mission with his team."

Tenten stood unnaturally still, "If it goes well, I am transferring permanently."

_Finally, the truth._ He had expected her to deny his suspicions. Be angry, even, that he was suggesting that she was leaving the team for good.

"And you never planned to tell us?" Neji fumed, unable to comprehend the turn of events. "Why are you leaving us?"

Tenten turned, the dark shadows made her expression unreadable.

"I like working with Shikamaru's team," Tenten said, her voice quiet but firm.

Neji arched his brow. _Back to excuses_. "You've been on a mission with Nara once. We've been together for eight years."

"Then isn't it more laughable that in that one mission, I have discovered what I have been missing out on all this time?"

"What do you mean? You can't possibly mean that we are inadequate teammates?"

"No. You are a great shinobi, Hyuuga Neji. With your Byakugan and intellect, there are few in Konoha who do not know your name. But, Neji, oh- Neji… I am a good shinobi in my own right! I didn't ask to be included in this mission, Shikamaru asked for me. He recognized my skill and wanted me in his team by choice. I was in your Genin squad and ever since because of luck and then some. He told me that I was free to come and go but he would prefer it if I stayed. You…"

"Tenten-" Neji managed.

"No, **listen!**" Tenten shook her head and marched up to the bewildered Hyuuga. As she stepped forward, he realized that her eyes were shining with anger. "I am leaving because for the _eight years_ that we have spent together, that's all we've ever been, teammates that were strung together because of our Genin assignments. You still treat Lee like he's not worthy of being a shinobi. And I am but a tool for you to sharpen your skills on."

To say Neji was shocked was an understatement. His pearl-white eyes could not recognize the woman who stood before him. She was standing close enough for him to smell the citrus smell of her nightshirt. He had never looked at her this closely before. All along she had stood behind him, watching his weak spot and attacking from the shadows, _where he knew she was safe._ This girl with no last name, no clan, no kekkai genkai, had surpassed many others to claim top-spot as the weapon mistress of Konoha. Lee worked hard but then again, so did Tenten. He trained with her tirelessly, and each time she had something new to try to crack through his defence. He didn't want to admit it, but she was always keeping him on his toes, and there were opponents that he couldn't defeat that she probably can. He had never once said that he needed her, wanted her to be there but he knew that he was not someone able to promise her anything.

"I have always looked up to you," Tenten said, her brown eyes locking with his. Even though her height did not reach his, her presence did not match her size. Her firm gaze was steely, catching Neji's breath in his throat, "but you, your eyes don't see me."

"Tenten, you… you're leaving because you think I don't see you?" he asked incredulously.

"You were always so _blind_," she spat. "You should go now."

She turned to leave.

"But I do see you."

Tenten stopped.

"What do you see?" Tenten said, daring him to continue.

Neji could not command his tongue to continue. _After all these years, did she not know well enough that what I don't say is what doesn't need to be said?_

After a long pause, she sighed and started towards the door.

He caught her by the arm and pulled her back. With her back against the wall, she couldn't run, but neither could he, from her questioning eyes. Neji was not a fool. He didn't need to turn around to know that these eyes have been watching his back for a long time. He knew that she has been watching him and each time he pretended that he didn't know, her eyes would cloud over with disappointment. He knew that what she wanted was not what he had been giving. But he also knew that his actions had consequences more far-reaching than he could imagine. She turned her head and tried to slide away from the Hyuuga but he was faster and blocked her path with his arm. He could feel the pounding in his chest, almost hear the blood in his ears. Her lips parted slightly to form a question that never came.

"I said, I see you now."

* * *

><p>Chapter 2 Preview:<p>

"Are you sure we can't just peek in from the roof?," Tenten complained futilely. She had never felt more ridiculous in her life. Her silk kimono was a blooming garden of seasonal flowers. Her fringe which was usually covered by her forehead protector had grown long and messy due to neglect. An assistant had teased her brown tresses into a simple half-do. Silver butterflies danced amongst the trailing purple wisteria blossoms on the side of her head. But what Tenten found most annoying of all was that when she walked, _she tinkled._ Or more precisely, the bells on her head did.

* * *

><p>Reviews Appreciated :)<p> 


	2. Under the Maple Tree

A/N: Changed the contents of Chapter 2 and 3 around a bit… The Sand Siblings make an appearance! Most characters will sooner or later You know somebody is bound to die when a supporting character in a horror film says the line "Hello? Is somebody there?" Sorry if you think I copped out (the whole set-up in chapter 1). We'll get to it. Neji is "too much of an ice cube" and I just don't see them falling for each other. Yet.

**The Promises that Cannot be Kept**

Chapter 2

"I said I see you."

Neji gently brushed a hair that fallen out of place off Tenten's face. Tenten froze at his touch. His dark hair was long and silky against his pale moonlit face. He towered over her; his regal features had captivated many a fangirl in Konoha but not Tenten. Tenten would rather die a hundred deaths than admit any form of ruinous attachment to the Hyuuga*. Yet, in that moment, with the heat of his breath against her face, his eyes captured her completely.

His long slender fingers traced the soft curvature of her cheek and rested beneath her chin. _What am I doing?_ Neji had long lost his capacity to think. He watched Tenten's surprised expression morph into confusion; she searched his eyes for answers.

"Ne-Neji…" Tenten gasped.

The silence in the apartment was broken by the resonating cries of Tenten's home phone. The sudden noise startled Neji back to clarity. He drew back from her. There was a look of astonishment in his eyes –astonishment at himself. Without a second look back, he grabbed his coat and moved to the door.

"We'll talk when you get back."

Tenten did not hear the door clicking behind the Hyuuga as he left.

* * *

><p>Shikamaru didn't know why his newest team member was late, but he had a pretty good idea.<p>

"Think lover-boy got to her then?" Temari asked flippantly as she fiddled with the straps on her knapsack.

"He wouldn't know the words to stop her even if he wanted to," Shikamaru shrugged before strapping his own bag on.

Temari smirked, "you make it sound like_ you_ do."

Shikamaru returned her smirk but didn't say anything.

"Oh?" Temari arched her brows, a bemused look on her face. Shikamaru scowled. He knew from the look on her face that this would not be the last time he would hear of this issue.

Shikamaru found that working with Temari was simple. He had gotten a hang of it since his Chuunin days. She was loud-mouthed and hot-tempered (was this a trait shared by all blonde shinobis?) but loyal to a fault, sensible and extremely competent with her weapon. All she needed were simple instructions and freedom to blow away all the enemies she wanted.

"Sorry, I got held up!"

Tenten ran up to the duo, panting heavily. She flashed them a grin before straightening up and dusting herself.

"You okay?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yea, let's go," Tenten reassured him.

They passed through the gates of Konoha.

Temari leapt ahead, leading the way back to her home country.

Tenten kept pace but her mind wandered back to the events of that morning. She could still remember the glare of his white eyes as he stared her down. She could remember the feeling of the cold smooth wall behind her as he closed in on her. She could remember the warmth of his touch against her cool skin. It would be at least five months until she can question him about his actions. _And kami help me if he decides to ignore me after this._ Her fingers unconsciously lingered where Neji's had been just hours before.

Tenten did not notice Shikamaru looking back at her curiously. Catching himself, he whipped his head back and focused on the path ahead.

* * *

><p>"Where's my sister? <strong>Give my sister back!<strong>"

The young man shook one of the servants roughly. He tried to push past them but was stopped by other servants who held him back. He shouted in frustration. A thin paper door was all that parted him from his goal. _These damn guards… I need to get into the inner rooms!_

"Welcome to my house, Ichinose-sama. How may I help you?" a deep hoarse voice answered from the room. The madame of the house appeared from inside the room. Her lips were pulled to a taut smile. Otomo Toyoka was a tall woman with powerful shoulders and sharp features. She wore the poise of a woman that dominated and the gravitas of a woman greatly feared. When she appeared in a room, it felt as if the very air had stilled in fright.

"Toyoka-san. I am here for my sister."

Toyoka-san was helped into her seat by several male servants. She gestured for Ichinose to take a seat.

"Why, but your sister isn't here," Toyoka said simply.

Ichinose was about to protest when he was silenced by a sharp look from the aged madame.

"Your sister disappeared a month ago. She could have eloped. Ran away from home. Who knows? Young girls are very hard to predict sometimes. There is only one thing I can tell you, dear customer. Your sister is not here."

The young lad gritted his teeth. There were five armed servants in the room and although Madame Toyoka looked vulnerable in her current position, he had heard rumours that she had unarmed a daimyo's personal guard with nothing but her favourite fan.

He stood to leave.

"If you are here for the wine or entertainment please feel free to stay. If not, I will have servants escort you to the door."

The madame bowed her head slightly as the boy left.

Ichinose Takarai did not want to stay a moment longer in that ethereal world of endless corridors and flowery brocades. There was something unspeakably wrong about the people in the house; It was in the eerie way they moved and the way they slowly turned their heads. And he swore he could hear chuckling in the empty hallways he passed.

He pulled his coat tighter around him.

_Damnit I am lost…_

He continued wandering through the maze-like corridors in the large compound when out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something moving. He turned on his heel. There was a dark figure silhouetted in the shadows of the dark hallway.

"Hello? Is somebody there?"

Takarai peered into the darkness. The figure stayed rooted in the shadows. From its outline, he could tell that it was a female.

"Are you Sayaka?"

He saw long black hair cascading down the robes of the female figure. Takarai's eyes widened in shock; he recognized the silver ornamental hairpin in her hair.

"Sayaka. Sayaka! Do you not recognize your own brother? It's Taka-nii!"

Before he could reach her, the girl spoke, "Go home, Ichinose-sama."

Takarai broke into a run. He longed to hold his sister in his arms and save her from this nightmare. Ichinose didn't manage to take more than a few steps before he felt a startling blow to the back of his neck. He crumpled to the ground. The last thing he saw before the world turned white was his sister's lips curled in a cruel twisted smile.

* * *

><p>Temari walked Shikamaru and Tenten to the Suna gates before leaving to join her brother at the gatehouse. Shikamaru had been in Suna many times before; he was used to the quietness of the desert city, where the only sounds were the howls of gusty desert winds and the clanking of rickety old wheelbarrows full of sand and bricks. The quaint Suna streets wound around beehive houses and flat-top mud huts which were placed in what must be described as a haphazard manner.<p>

"Gaara must be kept very busy," Tenten remarked.

"Candied haw?"

Tenten eyed the caramelized fruit skewered on a bamboo stick that Shikamaru held in her face. She gave Shikamaru a frown.

"Right, no sour things. It's good though, Suna's street food," Shikamaru said before retracting his offer.

They headed for the kazekage's office.

Gaara was taller than Tenten last remembered and in much better health. It was not that long ago that she had seen him freshly revived from certain death. After Gaara's inspiring leadership during the Fourth Shinobi World, all ninja across the borders held a certain grudging respect for the kazekage. Although his demeanor was still marked by a degree of reticence, he no longer wore the dark haunting expression of his Genin days.

"Thank you for coming, Nara Shikamaru, Tenten."

Gaara motioned for two assistants to bring in what looked like a stretcher draped with a white cloth.

"As you can see, Sunagakure is shorthanded right now. Any help we can get is appreciated," the kazekage continued. "In the deserts west of Suna there lies an oasis city, Koushou. It serves as a main stopping point for Suna merchants heading west. There have been reports of abduction of women in the towns near Koushou as well as other… strange phenomenon."

"Strange phenomenon?"

Gaara pulled back the white cloth to reveal a line of shriveled corpses. Parchment-like skin laid wrinkled and broken over dry bones. The desiccated bodies were contorted into various foetal positions. Many had wide open mouths, fixing their last convulsions of agony forever. _What kind of pain did these people go through before death?_ Tenten shuddered. One of the bodies toppled over to spill dark and viscous innards over the stretcher. The odor from the bodies was overwhelming.

"These were found in the towns of the abducted women. The cause of death is exsanguination- acute blood loss. From the bone structure we could tell that they were aged between 28-32, all female. There are multiple puncture wounds on all the victims."

Tenten covered her nose with her sleeve and took a closer look at one of the corpses.

"These are not puncture marks from any weapons I have seen before," Tenten wondered aloud. "In fact… these aren't even puncture marks from weapons at all."

Gaara and Shikamaru took a step closer.

"I am not 100% certain but it looks like the blood left from these bodies from the inside, leaving open wounds. Look at how the skin breaks. This is most likely caused by some form of ninjutsu."

Gaara took in the new information with apprehension.

"This ninjutsu that you mention… I have seen it before in one of the records. There was mention of a blood draining hiden jutsu in the records of one of the ancient clans of Suna –the Hino. The last Hino descendent died before I was born though. If the jutsu has resurfaced, it means someone out there is reviving lost jutsus. Koushou contains one of the largest entertainment districts in the Sand country as well. As this is a civilian town, you are to be discreet in your investigations. There will be strictly no engagement with the enemy. Take Kankurou with you."

Someone knocked on the door of the kazekage's office.

"You may leave."

Tenten closed the door behind her and heaved a sigh. _This mission might take longer than a few months…_

"Good work," Shikamaru congratulated her with a lopsided grin. He patted her shoulder before parting ways.

* * *

><p>For as long as Neji could remember, the walls of the Hyuuga compound rose high beyond his reach. Even as he grew taller, he still could not see past the white walls.<p>

He sat on the step leading to the main courtyard, tired from his morning training routine. Without his training partner, Neji resorted to meditation and solo work on his Gentle Fist technique.

"N-Neji ni-san," Hinata whispered.

Neji turned to see the young Hyuuga heiress kneeling by his side. She usually came in the morning to watch him train and sometimes, he would invite her to join him but today, Hinata came dressed in a silk kimono.

"Hinata-sama?"

"Fa-father wishes t-to see you…"

"Okay. I will meet him in his study after changing."

Neji gathered his belongings.

"W-wait…" Hinata stuttered. Worry spread across her gentle features. "...if… it is difficult… to agree… please… Neji-ni-san… father would never… f-force anything on y-you…"

Neji frowned. _What is Hinata-sama talking about?_ Images of his father doubled over in pain, clutching his forehead flashed before Neji's eyes. He shook his head. _This is all water under the bridge now…_

"Hn. I trust Hiashi-sama's judgement. But thank you, Hinata-sama, for your concern."

"Ah. Neji-ni-san…" Hinata fumbled for words but couldn't find any.

They got up to head towards the Main House. As he walked past the courtyard, Neji looked skyward. The robin-egg blue sky was cloudless. A flock of migratory birds were headed south. _I wonder if she will come home before the terns do…_

* * *

><p>"Are you sure we can't just peek in from the roof?," Tenten complained futilely. She had never felt more ridiculous in her life. Her silk kimono was a blooming garden of seasonal flowers. Her fringe which was usually covered by her forehead protector had grown long and messy due to neglect. Yuko had teased her brown tresses into a simple half-do. Silver butterflies danced amongst the trailing purple wisteria blossoms on the side of her head. But what Tenten found most annoying of all was that when she walked, <em>she tinkled.<em> Or more precisely, the bells on her head did.

"Why do I sound like baby shoes? You do know that I am going on a recon mission. The_ tinkling_ won't help in the least bit. I am surprised you carry such things around with you," Tenten directed at Kankurou who was fixing another butterfly in place.

"Let's just say they belong to a friend of mine. Anyway, the ones that don't tinkle… are laced with poison," Kankurou said, clearly amused by the scene. "The tinkling bells are detachable smoke bombs."

"And the butterflies?"

"Those are just there to look pretty."

Tenten shot the puppet master a death glare.

"What about Shikamaru? Doesn't he need to go undercover too?"

"You want me to put him in a dress?" Kankurou smirked. "Anyway, there are no women in Koushou's entertainment district. Only the daughters of the lords that own land there and the hostesses of the various entertainment houses. You will stick out like a sore thumb if you waltz in there in your usual gear. Now stay still before I leave a patch in your head…"

Kankurou picked up another ornamental butterfly and eased it into Tenten's bun.

"Ow!"

"Told you so."

* * *

><p>Tenten shed her kami-be-damned-high geta, choosing to feel the earth beneath her feet instead. She spotted a familiar figure hidden in the eaves of the house next to the garden. She saw him glance at her, smirk and go back to sleep. <em>Just like him to be sleeping while I am torturing myself in there…<em> Tenten spread her skirts and sat herself under the broad leaves of the crimson maple trees.

"Go ahead, why don't you comment on the obvious?"

"What? That to other people around here you look like you're talking to a tree?"

"What? No! This ridiculous outfit of course…" Tenten snapped. "…when Neji went on _his_ recon mission he got to wear his normal black hakama and I… need to wear ***this***"

"The hokage is one scary woman," the young Nara commented with a grimace. "To be able to convince Neji to attain information that way..."

"Oh you will be surprised at what Neji is capable of doing."

Shikamaru frowned.

"As much as I'm just _**dying**_ to hear what you have to say about your childhood crush, I was hoping to catch some sleep before the mission tomorrow."

Tenten turned to give the slacking ninja a pointed stare.

"He is **not** my childhood crush."

"Yeap," Shikamaru replied flippantly. Agreeing was much less troublesome than arguing.

Tenten attempted to rest her head against the maple tree only to jerk back in pain from the pins that dug into her scalp. She looked up towards her teammate's hiding spot. _Is he not going to ask me about what Neji said before we left?_

"You know something?" Shikamaru's lazy droning voice resonated from the eaves.

"Yeah?"

"You work far too hard. You need some time off."

"And you would know that because?"

"68 missions including a couple of S missions."

"You're checking me up?" Tenten asked incredulously.

"You sent me your records."

Tenten suddenly recalled the application forms and paperwork she had hurried through a week ago. She didn't think that the Nara would actually read through all the documents she sent over, being the lazy slacker that he was. _I am really going to leave Team Gai then?_ _Ah Lee… what am I going to do with you?_ She sighed. _Well we are both chuunin, I am sure there will be chances to work together again…_ She hadn't seen Lee in a while. He had gone on a Youthful training trip with Gai a fortnight ago. As chuunin and jounin, Team Gai was often called to different missions, fracturing the original Genin unit.

When Shikamaru offered her the slot on the new experimental unit formed in collaboration with Konoha's allies, she had jumped at the chance to leave Konoha. It wasn't that she hated home. It was that ever since Neji made jounin, she had lost her rhythm. Lee too, had a new training regime while she had stopped improving during training. Even though Neji never said it out loud she had always felt it when they ended training with her panting and him, spotless. Almost with Lee's unbreakable spirit, she had tried hard to surprise him with new elements each time but never once had she succeeded. _When has the distance between us grown so wide?_ Neji's relationship with her was strictly training and mission-oriented. Without strength, not only is she falling far from her dreams, she was also growing further from her teammate. _Other than training, what do we have in common?_

Tenten sighed.

She took off a few hairpins and rested her head against the bark of the tree. Sunlight filtered through the red maple leaves, scattering a myriad of tinted shadows.

"You know, my mother once told me that the red maple tree is a symbol of everlasting love," Tenten recounted fondly. "There are a lot of stories in her village about maple trees. She said that if you caught a maple leaf before it touches the ground and make a wish, it will come true. If you pick a maple leaf from the ground, you will meet the person you are fated to be with will appear within the coming week. And if you watch a shower of maple leaves with someone you love, you are destined to be together for life."

Tenten heard Shikamaru let out a chortle from his resting position.

"Don't laugh. Of course I know it can't be true…"

She stood to leave.

"This kimono is stifling in this heat. Are you going to stay up there? Temari-san is probably looking for you. She said she will show us around."

"Oh I've been on her tours before. Don't agree to go for the wrestling thing and don't eat anything yellow."

"Huh?"

"You'll see."

Tenten placed all the fallen hairpins with her senbon in her hidden pouch.

"I'm going to take this off. This is enough for a test-try. Can't stand wearing this thing any longer."

Tenten carried her geta and turned to leave.

"Why? …the butterflies are beautiful," drawled the lazy genius before he rolled back to sleep.

* * *

><p>Chapter 3 Preview:<p>

"Tenten, stay with me. Tenten do you hear me? **Stay with me!**" Shikamaru pleaded as he cradled her head in his lap. He took off his thick woolen cloak and covered the kunoichi with it. Her skin was a patchwork of red and white and felt cold to the touch. _Damnit. Please don't let me be too late_.

* * *

><p>*Oh, denial. Sweet denial.<p>

Damn. I thought of Chouji when Shika said that last line.

Reviews Appreciated :D


End file.
